Box blank slotting machine



May 12, 1931.. L. s ROSENER BOX BLANK SLOTTING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet l HIS ATTORNEY May 12, 1931. 1.. s. ROSENER BOX BLANK SLOTTING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 W IH INVENTOR LE1 AND .2 2055mm? KMZW mumfmmu Q N wm HIS ATTORNEY y ,1931. L. s. ROSENER BOX BLANK SLOTTING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 m m 5 0 mp MM a L m mmu HIS ATTORNEY L. S. ROSENER BOX BLANK SLQTTING MACHINE May 12, 1931.

Filed April 5. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR LEAH/Y0 5. P0367752 M/ HIS ATTORNEY May'l2, 1931. L. s. ROSENER BOX BLANK SLOTTING MACHINE Filed April 3. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 H is ATTORNEY ay 12, 1931. L. s. ROSENER BOX BLANK SLQTTINGMACHINE Filed April 3. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 h rm |NVENTOR 1. 2 AND .5. BOSE/V52 BY J HIS ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1931 warren star-asr arnnr oFrFicE LELAND si Rosanna, OF sen FRANc-rsc o; CALIFORNIA, Assieno-R TO FIBREBOARD rnonuo'rs me, or sen rnnncrsoo; eamronnm, A ooaroaarrion or DELAWARE BOX BLANK srio'rrrne' MACHINE Application filed. Aprili 3,. 1929.

:& tioned patent isadapted to print. and form the lateral and longitudinal creases i-n the bore blanks, which are then taken from the machine and individually slotted. One of the objects of the present invention is to eliminate this individual handling,

Another object of myin-vention is to. provide a machine which will perform" all ofthe slot-ting operations ona'box blank at one time.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a machine which is adjustable to. slot box blanks of awide range of sizes and: shapes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a machine which may be completely coordinated with the devices ofimy former patent to produce a completed box blank without any intervening handopera-tions.

further object of my: invention isto pro vide a. box slotting machine which. is adjnstable while the machine is in motion.

lWyinvention possesses. otherobjects and valuablefeatures, some of which willv be set forth in the followingdescription of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings torming part of the: specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description and drawings, as I may adopt varying forms of my invention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings: I Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine embodying my invention and combined with the creasing'mechanism described inmy former patent. Because of the length of'the combined machine, this drawing is divided into the two parts,.Figures Ia and 1.7)..

Figures 2a and 2b comprisea plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1. V j V Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken o'i'i'the line 3 3 of Figure 2a andshowing the Serial No. 352,203.

intermittent motion used for feeding the machine. V

Figure 4 is a vertical compound section taken on the broken line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figureii is an end elevation of the machine Figure 6 is a detail View, partly in section, ofthe mechanism used for centering the box blanks laterally. H

Figure '1'. is also a detail view, showing the means of registeringthe box blanks longitudinally in the. slotter.

F'gure 8 is a detail View inelevation of the cam mechanism which actuatesthe registering devices.

. Figure 9 is a plan view of the completed box blank.- Y j Figure 10 is a diagrammatic layout showing the combination ofthe machine of the present invention with the apparatus of the previous patent.

In terms of broad inclusion, the present invention comprises a conveyor for feeding the box blanks to-the machine and discharging them therefronn Means are provided for positioning the blanks laterally and, longitudinally of the machine; and for slot-ting them. The slotting knives are mounted on reciprocating heads, one of which is positioned on either side of the conveyor, and which are adjustable towards and away from the conveyor to accommodate box blanks of various sizes. This adjustment may be performed while the machine is in motion. The knives themselves are longitudinally adjustable along the head, so'that the spacing of the slots may be varied. As theknives are individually adjustable, this permits the manufacture by the machine of boxes of almostany desired conformation. The devicesfor positioning or registering the box blanks under the slotting knives are also sepae rately adjustable. The conveyor which feeds and discharges the blanks has an intermittent motion which is synchronized with. the 5:.-

other movements of the machine, so] that, whatever the size ofthe blanks being handled, the conveyor will move them into place and then stop while the positioning means place the blanks, first laterally, then longitudinally, and the slotting devices come into operation, after which the conveyor again takes up its motion to discharge the blanks.

In more detailed terms, the embodiment of my invention here illustrated comprises a bed frame which is preferably built up of men'ibers of box section. The members 66 and 77 run transversely of the machine, their tops being surfaced to form ways. These members are tied together on the back of the machine by longitudinal stretches 8 and 9. At the front or drive side of the machine, columns 11 and 12 rise from the trans verse members and are tied together at their upper ends of the spacers or stretchers 14 and 16, and adjacent their lower ends by the stretchers 17 and 18.

The portion of the combined machine between the columns 13 is the creaser mecha nism which is substantially asdescribed in my'prior patent, and will not be explained in detail except as may be necessary in showing the functioning of the device as a whole. That portion of the machine lying to the left of the creas'er mechanism, as shown in Figures l and 2, is the slotting mechanism to which this invention particularly relates.

Slidably mounted upon the ways and extending practically the entire length of the slotter mechanism, are the two slotter frames, which are indicated by the general reference characters 21 and 22. These slotter frames are in general similar and face eachoth-er upon the ways. Each comprises a pair of substantially vertical end columns 23, joined at their tops by a horizontal spacer 24 and at their bases by the slotter bed 25. The end columns carry the vertical ways 26 and the slotter heads or beams 27 extend between the columns of each frame and slide upon these ways. p

The main drive for the machine is supplied by a shaft 28 which connects with a motor (not shown) or any other suitable driving means. The shaft 28 extends across the entire machine, being housed within the transverse member 6. Adjacent the column 11, the shaft carries a bevel gear 29 which meshes with a similar gear 31, upon the longitudinal. drive shaft 32, which runs the full length of the combined machine. Bevel pinions 33 and 34, carried by the shaft 32, drive the vertical shafts 36 and 37 by means of the gears 38 and 39. Each of the vertical sha ts is interrupted and a timing clutch 41 is inserted, this clutch being preferably of the familiar type in which a spur gear is meshed with an internal gear of the same pitch diameter. The clutch carries a barring ring 42 having suitable recesses for receiving a bar, such as a crowbar or other convenient tool, by which the vertical shafts may be rotated independently of the drive mechanism to time the machine.

At their upper ends, the vertical shafts carry bevel gears 43 which mesh with the gears 44 on the horizontal shaft-s 46 and 47, extending transversely across the machine.

The horizontal shaft 46 is journaled in a bearing 48 carried by the bed frame column, and also in the bearin s 49 and 51 carried by the movable slotter rames. Adjacent the bearing 48 a bevel gear 52 is keyed to the shaft. This gear drives a pinion 53 on a longitudinal shaft 54 journale-d in bearings 56 which are mounted on the stretcherbar 14. At the other end of the shaft 54, another bevel pinion 57 meshes with and drives a bevel gear 58 on the transverse shaft 59. This shaft differs from the shaft 46 only in its method of drive.

Each of the shafts 46 and 59 is splined to receive a feather 61 which runs substantially the whole length of the shaft. This feather drives the eccentrics 62. The eccentrics operate the connecting rods 63 which are pivotally conected to the cutter heads 27 and reciprocate the heads upon the ways 26.

Secured to the horizontal stretcher bar 24 are vertically disposed air cylinders 64, within which operate pistons 65. These pistons are connected by means of the cross arms 66 and thelinks 67 with the cutter heads 27 and serve as air springs which reduce the duty on the eccentric and connecting rods and the vibration caused when the machine is. in operation. The power re quired for driving the machine is also lessene-d by this device. 3

Gibbed to the slotter heads 27 are the knives, four of which are used on each head in slotting the ordinary type of box blanks 68 illustrated in Figure 9. Of the knives, three are slot cutters 69, for forming the slots 70. The fourth is a flap cutter 71, which cuts out the forward corner of the blank to form the flap 72. The knives may be adjusted along the slotter heads to give any desired dimensions between the slots.

The knives cooperate with dies 79 which are mounted in die holders 81 gibbed to the slotter bed 25 and sli'dably adjustable thereon in conformity with the knife adjustment.

A gear case 82 is mounted on each of the slott-er die holders, each of these gear cases ha ving bearings for supporting the long splined shaft 83 which extends longitudinally of each slotter frame and is rotatable by means of the hand wheel 84. Feathered to the shaft 83 within each of the gear cases 82 is a worm 86 (see Fig. 6) which meshes with'a worm wheel 87 secured to a threaded transverse shaft 88 journaled in the die holder beneath the die. Threaded on the shaft 88 is a guide or stop 89, and it will be seen that the guides on each slotter frame are simultaneously adjustable by turning the hand wheel 84.

The guides 89 on the front slotter frame, onceset, are fixed in place and serve to reg- (i frames 21 and 22.

of the blank.

ever, are movable in order to position the box blank just before the slotting takes place. The 'mechanism for accomplishing this movement is best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The worm wheel 87 is not keyed to the shaft 88 but is splined thereon, so that the shaft may be moved slightly longitudinally. This movement is imparted to the shaft 88 by means of a forked crank 91 which engages a collar 92 mounted on the end of the shaft.

The crank 91 is carried by a longitudinal" shaft 93 which is splined to permit the longitudinal adjustment of the'die holder. Adjacent itsbearing in the end column 23 of the slotter frame 22, this shaft carries a crank arm 94 which is forked to receive a. sliding bearing block 96. A rod or link 97 slides through the bearing block, and surrounding this rod is a spring 98 whose pressure against the bearing block is adjustable by means of the nuts 99. The upper end of the link is pivotally connected to a bell crank 101. The vertical arm of thisbell crank is formed as a gearsegment- 102 meshing with the conjugate segment 103 on the smaller bell crank 104. The other arm of the second bell crank carries a hard steel striker plate 106 which engages a latch 107 fixed to the slotter head 27. It will be seen that as the slotter head is reciprocated, the latch strikes the striker plate, turning bell cranks 104 and 101 and moving the guide 89 toward the center of the machine. Owing to the resiliency introduced by the spring 98, the guide 89 will move the box blank until it strikes the opposing guide, but will not force it inward further to the injury The guide 89 is prevented from rotating upon the shaft 88 by a guide bar 108, which projects from the gear case 82 above the die and which also serves as a stripper bar for removing the slotted blank from the slotter knives.

Means are provided for the sin'iultaneous adjustment of the slotter frames upon the ways. A motor 121, mounted adjacent the column 11 on the bed frame is geared to the longitudinal shaft 122 through the spur gear train 123. This shaft drives suitable worm gears at each of itsends, the worm gears in turn driving the transverse shafts 127. Right and left handthreads are formed on each of these shafts and engage follower nuts on the end frames so that when the shafts are rotated, the end frames approach or recede from each other across the ways. so that by manipulation of the motor, the lateral positioning of the slots formed in the box blank maybe adjusted. 7 7 V v A chain conveyor 131 extends longitudinally of the machine between the two slotter Z-shapedflights 132 are secured to the conveyor at equally spaced in tervals, the spacing of the flights corresponding to the maximum length of blanks which the machine is designed to handle. As here shown, theconveyor is adapted to serve not only the slotter and creaser mechanism but also the preceding mechanism in the train, but it is obvious that if desired, the conveyor may serve but one of these machines, providing it be properly synchronized with the preceding piece of apparatus.

An intermittent drive is provided for the conveyor, the drive being synchronized with the reciprocatingmotionof the slotter head's so that it is at rest at the time that the knives are in operation. A spool gear is mounted upon the main drive shaft 28, this gear meshing with the gears 134 which are journaled on an extension frame 136 at the dis charge end of the machine. The gears 1 34 form a pair of crank disks which carry the pitman rods 137, driving an oscillating gear sector 138. The sector meshes with a pinion 139 mounted to turn upon a shaft 141 journaled in bearings 142 mounted onthe frame 136. A rocker arm 143 is fixed for rotation with the pinion 139 and carries at each end .a pawl 144, 145' The pawls engage a ratchet disk 146 on which are formed oppositely disposed ratchet faces 147, the pawls beingactuated by springs 148.

Just at the completion of the stroke a projecting lug 149 on the pawl 145 strikes a fixed arm 150 which raises the pawl out o-fengagement with the ratchet face,so that no driving force is exerted on the shaft 141 as the pinion 139 reverses.

Simultaneously with the disengagement of the pawl 145 a second ratchet disk 151, fixed to the shaft 141, is engaged by the pawls 152 and 153. The former. is carried by a rocker arm 154 andis raised into engagement with the ratchet by a cam 155 on the shaft 156 of the crank shaft disk, and is provided with a spring 157 to absorb the shock dueto stopping the shaft. The pawl 153' drops into place and prevents rotation of the shaft by re coil of the spring 157 By this arrangement the shaft turns exactly 1 revolution on the forward throw of the crank and is heldstationary on the return throw.

A sprocket 161 is keyed to the shaft 141 and drives the conveyor 131. The diameter of the sprocket is exactly the same as the distance between the flights 132 upon the chain conveyor, and it therefore follows that for each revolution of the crank 134, the conveyor moves forward exactly the distance between flights, and then pauses for a time which is equal to its time of motion.

' The sudden starting and stopping of the conveyor involves considerable shock, and to absorb. this, partially at least, a dash pot 162 is connected for movementwith the sector 138 by means of the connecting rod 163 lib) and crank 164, secured to the sector shaft 166.

Means are provided for registering blank longitudinally of the slotter. 171 keyed to the shaft 46 drives a gear am 172, 173 mounted on the column 12. Fixed for rotation with the gear 173 is a cam 17% whose follower 176 is mounted on a crank 177 on the short shaft 178. A second crank 179 is keyed to the shaft and is connected by a link 181, bell crank 182 and a second 1. 1k 183 to operate a. lever 184 on one shaft 186 see Figs 4 and The lower end of the lever 18 1 is yoked to permit the passage of the return reach of the conveyor 181. Pivotally conected witi the upper end of the lever is a pusher 187 which is formed in two parts to straddle the upper reach of the conveyor. A cam surface 188 is formed on the lower part of the pusher, as is best shown in F3 7, the cam resting on a roller 189. The surface is so formed that when the lever is retracted farthest to the right, the pusher lies entirely below the level of the conveyor. As the pusher moves forward, the surface raises its end above the level of the conveyor so that it will engage the end of the box blank 67 and move it forward to a predetermined point, that is, to the registry point with ref erence to which the cutting; knives are set. By this means, the slots in the blank may be brought exactly on the line of the creases, is necessary to provide a tight and square box. r

In order that the momentum of the blanks may not affect this registry point, retardinc: means are provided. A link 191 connects with the crank. 177 and is resiliently connected by means of the spring 192 with a crank 193 keyed to a transverse shaft 194%. The shaft is carried in adjustable bearing brackets 196 and to it are secured the presser feet 197 which. operate in synchronism with the pusher 188 to bear against the surface of the blank and exert a friction thereon. One of these feet is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, since its actual location is in front of the plane of the drawing.

The various motions of the machine are coordinated or timed as follows: lVith the cutter head about one-third of the distance on its upstroke, the conveyor moves forward to discharge the slotted blank and moves the creased blank from the creaser mechanism under the slotter mechanism. This movement occupies one-half of the revolution of the shafts 4-6 and 59. he conveyor then remains stationary while the cutter head descends and the pusher 188 registers the blank longitudh nallv. Just before the knives enter the blank, the latch 107 engages the striker 106'to accomplish the lateral positioning; of the blank, the knives engaging immediately after this positioning. The air spri gs 71 absorb the shock of reversing the movement of the cutter head 27 and start the knives on their upward path,

whereupon the conveyor again resumes its motion. to discharge the slotted blank, and the cycle is repeated. V

The machine as thus described is extremely flexible. terframes on the ways permits them to be set for any desired spacing. The lateral guides 89 are adjustable independently of this'setting', so that the relative width of the bottom and sides of the box may be changed. at will. Furthermore, the setting of the knives on the slotter heads may be varied between wide limits. All of these adjustments, with the exception of the spacing, of the slots, may be accomplished while the machine is in operation, and it is therefore possible to correlate the various settings under actual opoi'atin conditions so that the machine will turn out perfect blanks.

The timing between the reciprocation of the'slot heads and the intermittent motion of the chains, once set, ordinarily remains fixed, but it may varied at any time tnrough operation of the clutch 41.

of individual use, but one of its principal advantages is that it may be combined with the longitudinal crea-scr as shown, and furthermore that it may become the final unit in a combination comprising" a printing press, transverse creaser, longitudinal creaser. and slot-tor which will turn out completed box blanks without any intervening hand-handling. In case this is not desired, it is possible by the use of the clutch 41. to disconnect the slotter head from the remainder of the mechanism, so that the conveyor 131 will act merely as a discharge mechanism for the creaser, or, on the other hand, the creaser may be disconnected and the slotter mechanism used alone.

' While I have here described a specific form of gear drive, and of intermittent motion for the conveyor chain, it is to be noted that these are not the essential parts of my invention. as other forms of intermittent motion or type of drive may be readily substituted. the invention lying in the combination and correlation of the various parts and movement-4.

I claim:

1. A box blank slotting machine comprising reciprocating slotting knives, an intermittently operating endless conveyor synchronized with said knives for feeding and dischargin the blanks, and means for p sitioning' the blanks with respect to the k. i when the conveyor is at rest.

2. A box blank slotting machine comprising reciprocating slotting knives, an intermittently operating endless conveyor synchronized with said knives for feeding and discharging the blanks, and areciprocating pusher for positioning the blanks with respect to the knives.

3. A box blank slotting machine compris- The motor adjustment of the slot- Ahe slotting machine is, of course, capable ing reciprocating slotting knives, an intermittently operatingendless conveyor synchronized with said knives for feeding and discharging the blanks, a pair of guides for directing the blanks, and means for reciprocating one of said guides to position the,

blanks.

4. A box blank slotting machine comprising reciprocating slotting knives, an inter into the guide, means for reciprocating the rod, and gearing for rotating the rod and slidablyconnected thereto for adjusting the position of the guide on the rod.

6. A box blank slotting machine comprising means for feeding and discharging the blanks, a knife for slotting the blank, reciprocating mechanism connected to actuate said knife, a cam on said mechanism, a threaded rod slidably mounted perpendicular to the direction of motion of said knife, a linkage actuated by said cam and connected to reciprocate said rod, a guide threaded onto said rod, and gearing for rotating the rod and slidably connected thereto for adjusting the position'of the guide on the rod.

7. A box blank slotting machinecomprising means for feeding and discharging the blanks, a knife for slotting the blank, rec1procating mechanism connected to actuate said knife, a cam on said mechanism, a threaded rod slidably mounted perpendicular to the direction of motion of said knife, alinkage actuated by said cam and connected to recip rocate said rod, a guide threaded onto said rod, a Worm Wheel spllned tosaid rod, a

worm engaging said Worm Wheel, and means for rotating said Worm to adjust the position of the gulde on the rod.

8. A box blank slotting machine comprising reciprocating slotting knives, an intermittently, operating endless conveyor synchronized with said knives for feeding and discharging the blanks, and means for disengaging the blanks from the conveyor and po sitioning them With respect to the knives.

S). A box blank slotting machine comprising reciprocating slotting knives, an inter- -m1ttently operating endless conveyor. syn

chronized with said knives for feeding and discharging the blanks, a flight on said conmoun veyor for engaging the blanks, and a reciprocatingpusher synchronized with said conveyor for disengaging the blanks fronithe flightfand moving them into position with respect to the knives.

ing a reciprocating slotting knife, an endless conveyor for, feeding and discharging the blanks, a flight on said conveyor for engaging the blanks, a pusher pivotally"mounted plane parallel thereto, means synchronized with the motion of said knife for actuating said pusher, and means for swinging said pusher into'the plane of travel of the blanks, whereby the pusher disengages the blanks from the flight and moves them into position beneath the knives.

11. A box blank slotting machine comprising a reciprocating slotting knife, an endless conveyor for feeding and discharging the blanks, a flight on said conveyor for engaging the blanks, a pusher pivotally mounted adjacent said conveyor [and movable in a plane parallel thereto, meanssynchronized With the motion ofsai'd knife for actuating said pusher,means for swin ing said, pusher into the plane 'offtravel of the blanks, whereby the pusher di'sei'iga'ges the blanks from the flight and moves them into position beneath the knives, and'm-eans for retarding the move ment of the blanks by the pusher. o v

12. blank slotting machine comp'ris ing a frame, an intermittently operated collveyoron said frame for'advancing and dischargingthe blanks, a head slidably mounted on the frame, means for reciprocating the head, a 'plu'ralityof slotting knives slidably adjustable on thehead, and means for positioningthe blank With respect to the knives when the conveyoris at rest.

' 13. A nachine for slotting'box blanks comareciprocjating head, a slotting knife edon the head, a conveyor for feeding and dischargingtheblanks, means synchronizedivith the head for advancing the conveyor in the periods between the operation of the ki'iife, and means operated in time with the head for positioning the blank Withre spect to the knife When the conveyor is at rest. p

let; A machine" for slotting box blanks comprising a frame, a conveyor on the frame for feeding and discharging the bllIlliS,V81'l7lC2l-l Ways slidably mounted on the frame, a head mounted in the Ways, a slotting knife mount ed on the head, means for reciprocating the head, and means for-adjusting the position of the Ways and the head on the frame.

15. A machine for slotting box blanks conr prising a frame, a conveyor on the frame for feeding and discharging the blanks, vertical Ways slidably mounted on the frame, a head mounted in the ways, a slotting knife mounted on the head, means for reciprocating the head,

id conveyor and movable in if 10. A box blank slotting 111301131116COHIPIIS- 1 and means for adjusting the position of the ways and the head on the frame while the head is in motion. v

16. A machine for slotting box blanks comprising a frame, a conveyor on the frame for "feeding and discharging the blanks, a pair of vertical ways slidably mounted on the frame on each side of the conveyor, a head mounted on each pair of Ways, means for 10 reciprocating the heads on the Ways, and means for moving the ways toward and away from the conveyor to adjust the position and size of the slots.

17. A machine for slotting box blanks com- 1 prising a frame, a conveyor'on the frame for feeding and discharging the blanks, vertical ways slidably mounted on the frame, ahead mounted in the ways, a plurality of slotting knives individually adjustable on the head,

and means for reciprocating the head.

18. A box blank slotting machine comprising a frame, a reciprocating head laterally adjustable on said frame, and a plurality of slotting knives individually adjustable longi- 26 tudin ally of said frame mounted on said head.

19. A box blank slotting machine comprising a slotting knife, means for moving said knife,.intermittently operated means for moving a blank adjacent the knife, and means for 30 positioning the blank with respect to the knife when the blank moving means is at rest.

20. A box blank slotting machine comprising a' slotting knife, means forvmoving said knife, intermittently operated means synchronized with the knife moving means for moving a blank adjacent the knife, and means for positioning the blank with respect to the knife when the blank moving means is at rest.

21. A box blank slotting machine compris- 40 ing a slotting knife, means for moving said knife, and means operated in time with the knife moving means for positioning the blank with respect to the knife when the blank moving means is at rest.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LELAND S. ROSENER. 

